Island EMI president Louis Bloom and UROK Management's Sam Eldridge have spoken to Music Week about establishing FLO as a global proposition as the R&B trio prepare for their long-awaited debut album campaign.
The winners of both the BRITs Rising Star and BBC Sound Of... Poll in 2023, the band – Stella Quaresma, Jorja Douglas and Renée Downer – star on the cover of our November issue ahead of the belated release of their first LP Access All Areas (the album was originally earmarked to drop last year) on November 15.
Bloom, who has overseen the modern girl group’s development since they signed to the UMG label in 2019, described the record as “truly outstanding, the first step in their quest for world domination” and is already targeting a second BRIT for the act.
“When we met Jorja, Renée and Stella for the first time we saw the chemistry between them and knew immediately that what they had together as FLO was incredibly special and unique,” said Bloom. “They are the CEOs of FLO and it was clear they shared a vision. Their music is a brilliant intersection of classic R&B with massive pop appeal and [we knew] it had the potential to speak to fans who haven’t had a young, exciting, powerful female group to follow in such a long time.
"What makes FLO such an authentic group and why fans and tastemakers have been huge believers is because they are inspirational, and yet totally relatable.”
What they stand for as three young women is immensely powerful
Sam Eldridge
Sam Eldridge said he considered it his role as manager to be able to "facilitate the artist's vision".
“What I’m so proud of is helping FLO to really articulate their vision,” he continued. “Not an industry vision of who they are or what they can be, but truly their own. I think what they stand for as three young women is immensely powerful and the fact they are doing that on a global level and we are still just getting started is the definition of success at this point.”
FLO, who have just under two million monthly listeners on Spotify and 16.8m likes on TikTok, secured their first Top 40 hit last year with Fly Girl (114,773 sales, OCC), which featured hip-hop icon Missy Elliott, while Cardboard Box – from their 2022 debut EP The Lead – is certified silver with current sales of 205,705.
Working with Island's US label partner Republic, the band are already a step ahead in their development outside their homeland – Bloom suggested their "biggest territory" is America, where they have picked up high-profile support from the likes of Brandy, SZA, Victoria Monét, Ariana Grande and Kelly Rowland, as well as Elliott.
The trio have also performed on popular late-night TV shows Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The level of fandom in the US is escalating fast and is incredible to see
Louis Bloom
“They are already the group that has put UK R&B on the global map,” said Eldridge. “The US has completely embraced them and that’s a huge credit to the team at Republic who have understood how to place them in the right spaces. Wasserman [FLO’s agent] have put them in great touring positions and Island have been unwavering in their support and commitment.”
Bloom, who also listed Brazil and the Philippines as examples of FLO's “tangible global consumption, genuine heat and massive fan engagement”, added: “The level of fandom in the US is escalating fast and is incredible to see. I was speaking to Avery Lipman [Republic president and COO] recently and he summed it up brilliantly when he talked about their ‘unusual and exceptional fandom – it’s real and different and you can feel it.’”
Subscribers can read the full FLO cover story here.
